08/24/2010

The picks: Preseason bowl projections

Loyal readers of the blog in its original incarnation a few years ago know there is a weekly picks post during football season.

There will be a pair of them next week (one for the entire season, another for the opening set of games this season), but for now it's time for the biggest set of guesswork there is: Bowl projections.

Don't look for much of this throughout the season. Many other people can capably try to forecast what is going through the minds of folks wearing gaudy blazers.

This is a one-time guess, with the marketability of teams factored in along with anticipated level of competitiveness this season. And don't worry, this will get brought up again come December just to demonstrate how wrong some preseason picks were.

(A few assumptions: Neither the Big Ten nor Big 12 will get a ninth bowl-eligible team to fill the Little Caesars and Dallas Classic, respectively. Same goes for the ACC getting an eighth team for the EagleBank Bowl.)

Southern Methodist is an obvious candidate to slide into a possibly vacant Big 12 slot. Purdue should be back in a bowl game this year after a two-season hiatus.

Chick-Fil-A: Auburn (SEC No. 5) vs. Miami (ACC No. 2), Dec. 31

A rare matchup (no meetings since the 1984 Kickoff Classic), and it would certainly fill the Georgia Dome with Auburn fans. Tossing Florida State in Miami's place to make it an ex-Bowden Bowl would be fun, too.

Liberty: Tennessee (SEC No. 8) vs. Houston (C-USA No. 1), Dec. 31

Will be curious to see if the Vols make it to six wins. Kentucky, Mississippi State are also possibilities here.

Sun: Georgia Tech (ACC No. 4) vs. Arizona (Pac-10 No. 4), Dec. 31

On paper, an oddly compelling game in the preseason. Both teams could wind up deserving better fates.

Let's spell it out one more time: The first commandment of ACC bowl selection is "BC shalt get screwed." But this could be an interesting, worthwhile game.

Little Caesars: Temple (MAC No. 1/2) vs. California (Open), Dec. 26

California takes over a vacant Big Ten slot, and Temple gets to play a leftover Pac-10 team for the second straight year.

Hawaii: Hawaii (WAC) vs. Texas-El Paso (C-USA), Dec. 24

Any bowl game would be a good bowl game for the Miners.

Poinsettia: Navy vs. Brigham Young (MWC No. 2), Dec. 23

It's the Mids vs. the Mormons, but if BYU really does decide to go it alone in football, shouldn't game organizers try to swap event names with the Independence Bowl for a year if this matchup comes to be?